Earlier quoted context omitted.
I worked with a guy named Danny many years ago. He was one of the smartest programmers I'd ever met. Not only did he write great code, but he also always maintained an excellent connection to the his customers who would use the programs he wrote. This was in a hospital. Personally, he was kind, generous, excellent family man. He never really talked too much about politics, didn't care too much for it. He also helped…
> It broke my heart. A smart, good, kind man that I knew had been brain damaged. Like some kind of fucking psychological cancer. You're applying your view of the world to him. You're also condemning him in your mind. How about you do this instead: you know he's a smart, honest person. Listen to his argument, see where he's coming from, and try to understand _why_ he choose that conclusion. Nothing is all cut and dry.…
I completely agree. All 'sides' are greatly over-reacting to this and most everything else. Yes, this is a very serious situation, and requires serious and well considered discussions and actions.
A great way to get groups of people who are naturally somewhat suspicious of government mandated activities, like wearing a mask, to never ever consider wearing a mask is to over-act and react irrationally. It's a pretty miserable, self-sustaining cycle.
Having said that:
> You're applying your view of the world to him.
You wrote that in response to my statement:
> > It broke my heart. A smart, good, kind man that I knew had been brain damaged. Like some kind of fucking psychological cancer.
As stated, I was talking about a belief that Covid-19 was a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government to help Joe Biden get elected.
That's Alex Jones level bullshit.
It doesn't break my heart to see someone I care about having a nuanced, non 'party-line' view of this whole situation. That's healthy.
To believe that people who are actually dying of Covid-19 aren't actually dying of Covid-19 is another matter entirely.
> You're also condemning him in your mind.
Not in the slightest. If you note my other comments, you will see that I'm not condemning anybody. I know that every one of us is subject to and impacted by different kinds of irrational thinking.
Reading your links, I don't agree with all of your conclusions, but that's fine. Like you, I "continually reevaluating the information".